Guns and Guitars: Autry Does It Better

Is it worth your time?

If you've got a soft spot for old-school singing cowboys and movies that don't overstay their welcome, you'll probably enjoy Guns and Guitars. It’s light, it’s dusty, and it’s about as complex as a glass of water. But if you’re looking for grit or some sort of deep narrative twist, you’re gonna be bored stiff.

The whole thing kicks off with Gene being framed for murder. It’s one of those setups that’s resolved so quickly you almost forget he was ever a fugitive. Once he clears his name, he realizes the only way to clean up the town is to actually become the law. It’s a bold move, honestly. Most guys would just leave town, but Gene decides to run a campaign instead.

The pacing here is weirdly jittery. One minute they’re in a standoff, and the next, Smiley Burnette is doing something silly that has absolutely nothing to do with the plot. It’s like the movie couldn't decide if it wanted to be a tense revenge story or a variety show. I didn't mind it, though. It gives the film a strange, rambling energy that you don't really see in modern stuff.

Bits and Bobs

• That horse, Champion, definitely has more personality than half the guys in the supporting cast.
• The shootouts are so polite. Nobody ever really seems to get hurt unless the script absolutely demands it.
• There’s a moment where the music just stops abruptly and it feels like the projector hiccuped.
• The villain, Charles King, is doing the heavy lifting here. He’s got that sneer down to a science.

I found myself thinking about Danger Trail while watching this. There’s a similar vibe of 'let’s just get from A to B with some songs in the middle.' It's not trying to be a masterpiece, and that’s fine. Sometimes you just want to see a guy in a cowboy hat solve a murder, win an election, and ride off into the sunset before the sun actually sets.

Is it perfect? Hardly. The dialogue is stiff, and the plot holes are big enough to drive a wagon through. But there’s a genuine sincerity to it that makes it hard to be mean about. It feels like a time capsule from a version of America that never really existed, which is probably why I kept watching. 🤠